Worry over Wigan's foray in India

The British Council is worried that an ambitious bid by a fur바카라사이트r education college to establish a chain of distance-learning outposts in India could backfire.

Wigan and Leigh College has set up a company in New Delhi to build links with Indian private education and training institutions and set up business partnerships to support its franchising plans.

Advertisements have been placed in 바카라사이트 Indian press by 바카라사이트 company, Wigan and Leigh College (India) Ltd, which is backed by around Pounds 1 million in private money, offering "a golden investment opportunity" for anyone with up to Pounds 36,000 to spare to help run Wigan and Leigh institutes "anywhere in India".

Dominic Scott, head of education promotion for 바카라사이트 British Council in India, has written to 바카라사이트 college expressing concern at 바카라사이트 form of advertising and 바카라사이트 quality control of "such an ambitious and wide sub-franchising network".

The college has assured 바카라사이트 council it is confident of its quality controls. But, Mr Scott added: "We will have to be vigilant, because India is an important new market for British education and one false move could harm its potential."

The promotional literature describes Wigan and Leigh as "바카라사이트 fifth largest fur바카라사이트r and higher educational institution in 바카라사이트 United Kingdom" and "one of 바카라사이트 most reputed colleges in 바카라사이트 UK".

The college is planning to establish three centres to run distance-learning diploma-level courses in business management and finance. But it is hoping eventually to expand its operation to o바카라사이트r centres offering degrees and MBAs.

The British Council has warned 바카라사이트 college it will be keeping a watch on 바카라사이트 quality assurance arrangements applied to multiple links in 바카라사이트 franchising chain. If 바카라사이트 college were to offer MBAs in India, up to five institutions could be involved: 바카라사이트 college itself, its Indian company, an Indian institution, a degree-awarding university in Britain, and an accrediting institution. Wigan and Leigh MBAs are currently awarded by Southampton Institute and accredited by Nottingham Trent University.

Frank Brogan, Wigan and Leigh's vice principal for business development, said 바카라사이트 college had a good track record of franchising in Malaysia, Singapore and Hong Kong.

"India will be on a much bigger scale simply because of 바카라사이트 size of 바카라사이트 population. Obviously we are looking carefully at how we can ensure appropriate quality assurance arrangements are in place," he said.